Of Love and Glass Slippers
by shinigami nanoda
Summary: The story of Cinderella told from Prince Charming's point of view....assuming of course that the prince wasn't the brightest crayon in the box...


I hate my parents. They are throwing me a ball and forcing me to get married. I hate this shirt. It itches. And I hate these breeches. They are too tight. I just got a run in my stockings, now I am not fit to be seen. I think it would be best if I were to return to my room and have my servant read to me. I will also have to see to it that someone mends my stockings. I must retire quickly, before someone sees me in this unflattering state.  
  
After spending a few refreshing hours in my room I find myself once again summoned by my parents, the king and queen. What more could they have to say to me? The ball is to take place tonight, just as they have planned, and I am to choose a bride. Once again they make an effort to impress upon me the importance of my choice. I may love, they say, provided I love a woman who will make a good queen. I admit, having ladies throw themselves at me isn't exactly something I would consider bad, but I would never want to marry one of them. Marriage would tie me down when I should be spending my time surveying my possibilities.  
  
I have been tucked, trimmed, primped, and prodded for what seems like an eternity. I am now deemed presentable by my torturer, who calls himself my manservant. The steps curve gracefully into the ballroom and I walk slowly down them. There are ladies everywhere, wearing every color of dress imaginable. It's quite a shame that I am to be married soon, as there were quite a few girls that caught my eye. A hush fills the room as everyone stops to stare at whoever has just come in. I cannot see at first, there is a pillar blocking my view. When the lady comes into my sight I am astounded. I had not known that a lady of such beauty lived around here. I hurry down the remaining stairs as the musicians begin to play a waltz. She accepts when I ask her to dance with me and I know I am smitten. Time passes and before I know it the clock is striking midnight and she is running out of the castle. I call, but she keeps running. I start to follow her, but nearly kill myself when I trip over a slipper left on the stairs. It is made of glass and as I pick it up it catches the light and shimmers. It is very pretty.  
  
The next day I tell my parents I have found the woman I will marry. They are delighted and ask who she is. I am forced to say that I don't know her name. However, I have her shoe and I know the shoe will only fit her. My parents agree to let me search for her and I set off at once. Now I am finding myself becoming disheartened. I have not found her yet and I am tired of ladies saying the shoe will fit when it is obvious that it won't. There is no option except to keep looking and expecting nothing but another failure I knock on yet another door.  
  
I find myself seated across from three unattractive women, a lady and her two daughters. The two daughters have extremely large feet and it is obvious the slipper will not fit them, but they insist on trying it anyway. It does not fit. I get up to leave and ask if there are any other young ladies in the house. The older woman tells me there is not and I take my leave. Before I can get out the door another young lady, quite a pretty one I might add, appears. She tries on the slipper, and it fits. She also produces a matching slipper, proving beyond a doubt that she is the one I love. We return to the castle to receive my parents' blessing. They find her a suitable match and we are to be wed.  
  
At the wedding I am forced to wear an extremely uncomfortable suit, but I find I do not mind it as much as I used to because I am in love. Cinderella, which I finally discovered was her name, wore the glass slippers to the wedding. It is funny to think that without those shoes I should never have found her again. I no longer regret that I must marry and I believe Cinderella and I will live happily ever after.  
  
AN: review please! 


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